Sunday, October 15
College Station
1:30 p.m.
Texas A&M
6-8, 3-4SEC
3
vs
1
Auburn
11-6, 4-4SEC
1
2
3
4
F
Auburn
25
22
25
19
1
Texas A&M
16
25
27
25
3
Photo by: Glen Johnson/Texas A&M Athletics
Texas A&M Comes Back to Defeat Auburn, 3-1
Oct 15, 2017 | Volleyball
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M freshman opposite hitter Samantha Sanders had a career-high and match-high 13 kills while hitting .312, and senior outside hitter Kiara McGee pitched in 12 kills, including a crucial five kills down the final stretch in the third set, to lead the Aggies to a come-from-behind 16-25, 25-22, 27-25, 25-19 victory over Auburn today at Reed Arena.
The two got plenty of help from their teammates, with sophomore outside hitter Hollann Hans adding 10 kills and tying her career high with 14 digs to record her first double-double of the season. Freshman setter Camille Conner directed the offense to a .245 hitting percentage, dishing out 41 assists while also contributing six kills of her own. Conner also tallied 11 digs to finish with her third double-double.
The Aggies' junior middle blocker Kaitlyn Blake had nine kills while hitting .438 and also recorded a match-high five blocks to lead A&M to a 10-3 lead in team blocks, and senior libero Amy Netters scooped a team-high 15 digs in the winning effort.
Texas A&M improves to 6-8, including 3-4 in Southeastern Conference matches. Auburn, which is No. 21 in the NCAA RPI, 17 spots higher than A&M, suffers its third consecutive loss for the first time this season to fall to 11-6 overall and 4-4 in conference play.
Auburn jumped out to a 14-7 lead in the opening set as A&M struggled to get in sync. The Aggies chipped away at the deficit to get within 16-13, but they were unable to get any closer. Auburn, which held A&M to a -.103 hitting percentage in the frame, went on to outscore the Aggies, 9-3, to close out the set.
There were 13 ties and seven lead changes in the second set, and neither team held more than a two-point advantage until the final point. Auburn libero Jesse Earl's ace tied the score for the final time, 21-21, but Hans returned serve and the lead to A&M with a kill down the line on the following play. Hans then stepped to the service line and rip an ace down the line to put A&M ahead 23-21. Auburn got a kill following a timeout to get within 23-22, but the Tigers committed one of their 13 service errors on the day to put A&M at set point. Sanders then closed out the frame with a kill as Auburn sent Sanders' hard-driven ball into the stands for the final point.
The third set started out much like the first set, with Auburn jumping out to a 15-8 lead. The Aggies then mounted a comeback, scoring five unanswered points to get within 15-13. The Tigers responded with a three-point run and continued to hold the lead at 23-19. Sanders had one of her four kills in the set, and McGee followed with back-to-back kills to put A&M within 23-22, forcing Auburn to call a timeout. Gwyn Jones got a kill coming out of the timeout to put the Tigers at set point, 24-22, but McGee got another kill and senior defensive specialist Gabby Litwin served an ace to tie the set for the first time. A&M hit wide on the next play to put Auburn at set point for a third time, but McGee came through again as her off-speed shot fell in for a kill. Blake followed with a kill to put the Aggies at set point, and Auburn hit into the net on the ensuing play to give A&M the 27-25 win and a 2-1 lead in the match.
A&M carried the momentum into the fourth set and never trailed. After outhitting Auburn, .333 to .256, in the third set, the Aggies went on to outhit the Tigers, .433 to .182 in the final stanza. A&M used a 6-1 run to build its largest lead, 17-8, but Auburn would rally, scoring six unanswered points on five fills and an ace to get within 17-14. Hans would end the run with a kill set up by Sanders, but an A&M service error and an Auburn ace put the Tigers within 18-16.
Sanders and Blake had back-to-back kills, and Auburn committed an attack error to give the Aggies a 21-16 cushion. Courtney Crable, who led Auburn with 13 kills, tooled the A&M block for a kill, but Sanders and Hans countered with back-to-back kills to put A&M up, 23-17. Crable once again came through with a kill off the block, but then Auburn committed an attack error that put the Aggies at match point, 24-18. Jones kept Auburn alive with a kill before Blake closed out the set with the match-winning kill.
The match was the first of a five-match homestand for the Aggies. A&M returns to Reed on Friday to play host to Arkansas. First serve is at 6:30 p.m.
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M volleyball. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M volleyball team on Facebook and on Twitter and Instagram by following @AggieVolleyball.
TEXAS A&M POSTMATCH QUOTES:
HEAD COACH LAURIE CORBELLI
On everybody contributing and playing their best volleyball in the third set…
"What made me so proud and happy for that part of the match was that it looked like what we see quite often in practice. We have some awesome players that when they all put it together and we run the system, with the pace that we ran, with the passing, with our setter making great choices and had some really nice delivery right where they needed it, then it helps us get into Aggie Volleyball. Sometimes when we get a little bit off of that, it seems like that's when we start to question or struggle. A pass here and a pass there, a set that's maybe too far off the net or too wide, we either make an error with it or we don't get the kill and they transition back really fast. Then it starts to feel like, 'Gosh, it's such a struggle to get into Aggie Volleyball.' The fact that everyone did their job the way that helps us get into Aggie Volleyball was so much fun to watch and to see 'Wow, they do practice every day for hours.' You can see it now. Here's what we really can do. It's coming. We're not halfway done with what we're going to put on the floor."
On Auburn…
I have so much respect for that Auburn team. That team has to play together as a team no matter what, because they're not the biggest, they're not the fastest and blocking is not their thing. They know they have to come hard at you with their serve, and they risk missing some serves. But look at that defense. Look at that offense. Their setter is a nightmare to play against. You have no idea where she's going to throw that ball. She can throw it to anyone from midcourt, and they still swing. It's not just a tip. She's been in there running the Auburn show for four years. I'm so grateful we don't have to play them again at Auburn. I'll be darned if we didn't learn a lot today. No. 22 (Anna Stevenson) was a freshman and she was making plays that I don't see many juniors and seniors make. She's adapted to this pace of game and wow what a player. She was leading the team after the third set. She was who was hurting us the most. I think it's inspirational for our players to watch some of the things they did really well knowing we don't have to play them again and to try to be like that and have that kind of teamwork that they obviously have."
On coming back in the third set…
"I think that third set speaks volumes to what the team really wants to get done. Especially the seniors who know their time in the program is really dwindling down. They know they're darn good volleyball players in a darn good program and they want to win. The leadership that they provided today was phenomenal, and they stepped up in every position. We have seniors around the court in various spots, and they each had a job to do in that spot and they did it and it's so rewarding to see that. It's really important to get a win."
SENIOR LIBERO AMY NETTLES
On coming back in the third set…
"I looked at the score and it was 18-22. We've kind of had trouble most of the season coming back and finishing those games. In the past, we've done really well in that situation but this year it's been a little different. I looked at the score and I said, 'Alright, let's see what we're made of. Let's show people we can finish.' We slowly started coming back, one point at a time. Each person knew they had a job to do and what their focus was, and we took care of it."
On the back row matching Auburn's defense…
"The whole team, but especially the defensive specialists, come in the gym every day and we want to do our best because we know there's pressure on us to perform. As a defensive specialist, you have to dig and you have to pass. That's our only job. We take a lot of pride in that, and we know that we're just as good as any team in the SEC with those skills. Playing Auburn didn't change that at all. Every game and practice we come out and we want to dig the best we can."
SENIOR OUTSIDE HITTER KIARA MCGEE
On her stretch during third set…
"I came out of the timeout and in my mind I said, 'We are not losing. Do whatever it takes.' I fully trust my team and I know we are all fully capable of going out there and pulling this off even though we struggled, with how Amy [Nettles] said, coming back this year. We all strapped in and focused and got the job done."
On brushing off the Kentucky loss and coming out with a new mindset…
"I think it was a challenge for us to brush Kentucky off and come out and know what we're made of. Auburn is just as good of a team as Kentucky, and we know we're up there with those teams. We have to come out and put the pieces together at times like that and finish because that's what all the big teams are doing. They're finishing every game."
The two got plenty of help from their teammates, with sophomore outside hitter Hollann Hans adding 10 kills and tying her career high with 14 digs to record her first double-double of the season. Freshman setter Camille Conner directed the offense to a .245 hitting percentage, dishing out 41 assists while also contributing six kills of her own. Conner also tallied 11 digs to finish with her third double-double.
The Aggies' junior middle blocker Kaitlyn Blake had nine kills while hitting .438 and also recorded a match-high five blocks to lead A&M to a 10-3 lead in team blocks, and senior libero Amy Netters scooped a team-high 15 digs in the winning effort.
Texas A&M improves to 6-8, including 3-4 in Southeastern Conference matches. Auburn, which is No. 21 in the NCAA RPI, 17 spots higher than A&M, suffers its third consecutive loss for the first time this season to fall to 11-6 overall and 4-4 in conference play.
Auburn jumped out to a 14-7 lead in the opening set as A&M struggled to get in sync. The Aggies chipped away at the deficit to get within 16-13, but they were unable to get any closer. Auburn, which held A&M to a -.103 hitting percentage in the frame, went on to outscore the Aggies, 9-3, to close out the set.
There were 13 ties and seven lead changes in the second set, and neither team held more than a two-point advantage until the final point. Auburn libero Jesse Earl's ace tied the score for the final time, 21-21, but Hans returned serve and the lead to A&M with a kill down the line on the following play. Hans then stepped to the service line and rip an ace down the line to put A&M ahead 23-21. Auburn got a kill following a timeout to get within 23-22, but the Tigers committed one of their 13 service errors on the day to put A&M at set point. Sanders then closed out the frame with a kill as Auburn sent Sanders' hard-driven ball into the stands for the final point.
The third set started out much like the first set, with Auburn jumping out to a 15-8 lead. The Aggies then mounted a comeback, scoring five unanswered points to get within 15-13. The Tigers responded with a three-point run and continued to hold the lead at 23-19. Sanders had one of her four kills in the set, and McGee followed with back-to-back kills to put A&M within 23-22, forcing Auburn to call a timeout. Gwyn Jones got a kill coming out of the timeout to put the Tigers at set point, 24-22, but McGee got another kill and senior defensive specialist Gabby Litwin served an ace to tie the set for the first time. A&M hit wide on the next play to put Auburn at set point for a third time, but McGee came through again as her off-speed shot fell in for a kill. Blake followed with a kill to put the Aggies at set point, and Auburn hit into the net on the ensuing play to give A&M the 27-25 win and a 2-1 lead in the match.
A&M carried the momentum into the fourth set and never trailed. After outhitting Auburn, .333 to .256, in the third set, the Aggies went on to outhit the Tigers, .433 to .182 in the final stanza. A&M used a 6-1 run to build its largest lead, 17-8, but Auburn would rally, scoring six unanswered points on five fills and an ace to get within 17-14. Hans would end the run with a kill set up by Sanders, but an A&M service error and an Auburn ace put the Tigers within 18-16.
Sanders and Blake had back-to-back kills, and Auburn committed an attack error to give the Aggies a 21-16 cushion. Courtney Crable, who led Auburn with 13 kills, tooled the A&M block for a kill, but Sanders and Hans countered with back-to-back kills to put A&M up, 23-17. Crable once again came through with a kill off the block, but then Auburn committed an attack error that put the Aggies at match point, 24-18. Jones kept Auburn alive with a kill before Blake closed out the set with the match-winning kill.
The match was the first of a five-match homestand for the Aggies. A&M returns to Reed on Friday to play host to Arkansas. First serve is at 6:30 p.m.
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M volleyball. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M volleyball team on Facebook and on Twitter and Instagram by following @AggieVolleyball.
TEXAS A&M POSTMATCH QUOTES:
HEAD COACH LAURIE CORBELLI
On everybody contributing and playing their best volleyball in the third set…
"What made me so proud and happy for that part of the match was that it looked like what we see quite often in practice. We have some awesome players that when they all put it together and we run the system, with the pace that we ran, with the passing, with our setter making great choices and had some really nice delivery right where they needed it, then it helps us get into Aggie Volleyball. Sometimes when we get a little bit off of that, it seems like that's when we start to question or struggle. A pass here and a pass there, a set that's maybe too far off the net or too wide, we either make an error with it or we don't get the kill and they transition back really fast. Then it starts to feel like, 'Gosh, it's such a struggle to get into Aggie Volleyball.' The fact that everyone did their job the way that helps us get into Aggie Volleyball was so much fun to watch and to see 'Wow, they do practice every day for hours.' You can see it now. Here's what we really can do. It's coming. We're not halfway done with what we're going to put on the floor."
On Auburn…
I have so much respect for that Auburn team. That team has to play together as a team no matter what, because they're not the biggest, they're not the fastest and blocking is not their thing. They know they have to come hard at you with their serve, and they risk missing some serves. But look at that defense. Look at that offense. Their setter is a nightmare to play against. You have no idea where she's going to throw that ball. She can throw it to anyone from midcourt, and they still swing. It's not just a tip. She's been in there running the Auburn show for four years. I'm so grateful we don't have to play them again at Auburn. I'll be darned if we didn't learn a lot today. No. 22 (Anna Stevenson) was a freshman and she was making plays that I don't see many juniors and seniors make. She's adapted to this pace of game and wow what a player. She was leading the team after the third set. She was who was hurting us the most. I think it's inspirational for our players to watch some of the things they did really well knowing we don't have to play them again and to try to be like that and have that kind of teamwork that they obviously have."
On coming back in the third set…
"I think that third set speaks volumes to what the team really wants to get done. Especially the seniors who know their time in the program is really dwindling down. They know they're darn good volleyball players in a darn good program and they want to win. The leadership that they provided today was phenomenal, and they stepped up in every position. We have seniors around the court in various spots, and they each had a job to do in that spot and they did it and it's so rewarding to see that. It's really important to get a win."
SENIOR LIBERO AMY NETTLES
On coming back in the third set…
"I looked at the score and it was 18-22. We've kind of had trouble most of the season coming back and finishing those games. In the past, we've done really well in that situation but this year it's been a little different. I looked at the score and I said, 'Alright, let's see what we're made of. Let's show people we can finish.' We slowly started coming back, one point at a time. Each person knew they had a job to do and what their focus was, and we took care of it."
On the back row matching Auburn's defense…
"The whole team, but especially the defensive specialists, come in the gym every day and we want to do our best because we know there's pressure on us to perform. As a defensive specialist, you have to dig and you have to pass. That's our only job. We take a lot of pride in that, and we know that we're just as good as any team in the SEC with those skills. Playing Auburn didn't change that at all. Every game and practice we come out and we want to dig the best we can."
SENIOR OUTSIDE HITTER KIARA MCGEE
On her stretch during third set…
"I came out of the timeout and in my mind I said, 'We are not losing. Do whatever it takes.' I fully trust my team and I know we are all fully capable of going out there and pulling this off even though we struggled, with how Amy [Nettles] said, coming back this year. We all strapped in and focused and got the job done."
On brushing off the Kentucky loss and coming out with a new mindset…
"I think it was a challenge for us to brush Kentucky off and come out and know what we're made of. Auburn is just as good of a team as Kentucky, and we know we're up there with those teams. We have to come out and put the pieces together at times like that and finish because that's what all the big teams are doing. They're finishing every game."
.@LeaSamlsanders5 talks about Sunday's victory over Auburn. Sanders had a team-best 13 kills in the win. #12thMan pic.twitter.com/eSZFSZ8FyA
— Texas A&M Volleyball (@AggieVolleyball) October 15, 2017
Freshman @LeaSamlsanders5 breaks down the Aggies' victory and how her team bounced back after the first set. https://t.co/UhVJVpifXQ
— Texas A&M Volleyball (@AggieVolleyball) October 15, 2017
Hear from @camilleconner81 after Sunday's win. Conner finished with 41 assists, 11 digs & six kills on the day. #12thMan pic.twitter.com/I02Pw60AVn
— Texas A&M Volleyball (@AggieVolleyball) October 15, 2017
Team Stats
AU
TAMU
Kills
51
52
Errors
21
18
Attempts
150
139
Hitting %
.200
.245
Points
62.0
66.0
Assists
50
50
Aces
8
4
Blocks
3.0
10.0
Game Leaders
Kills
13
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
10
Aces
3
Blocks
2
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
DS
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballOH
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